By Carter H.B. No. 459
77R1808 QS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to higher education tuition and fee exemptions for
1-3 children of dead or disabled firemen and peace officers.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 54.204(a)(1), Education Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 (1) "Eligible employee" means a full-paid or volunteer
1-8 fireman, or a full-paid municipal, county, or state peace officer,
1-9 or a custodial employee of the Texas Department of Corrections, or
1-10 a game warden[, who has a child under 21 years of age].
1-11 SECTION 2. Section 54.204, Education Code, is amended by
1-12 amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read
1-13 as follows:
1-14 (c) A person is not entitled to the exemption if the person
1-15 [he]:
1-16 (1) does not apply initially for the exemption before
1-17 the date the person:
1-18 (A) [he] becomes 21 years of age if the person
1-19 is not covered by Paragraph (B); or
1-20 (B) becomes 22 years of age, if the person is
1-21 eligible to participate in a school district's special education
1-22 program under Section 29.003;
1-23 (2) does not meet all entrance requirements of the
1-24 institution; or
2-1 (3) does not maintain a scholastic average sufficient
2-2 to remain in good standing.
2-3 (d) Subject to Subsection (e), a [A] person may receive
2-4 [loses his right to] an exemption only for the first 120
2-5 undergraduate semester credit hours [after eight consecutive
2-6 semesters, not including summer semesters, beginning with the first
2-7 semester] for which the person [he] registers.
2-8 (e) A person is not entitled to an exemption for any term or
2-9 semester the person begins after the date the person becomes 26
2-10 years of age.
2-11 SECTION 3. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
2-12 only to a person who applies for an exemption from dues, fees, and
2-13 charges under Section 54.204, Education Code, on or after the
2-14 effective date.
2-15 (b) This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote
2-16 of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided
2-17 by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does
2-18 not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes
2-19 effect September 1, 2001.